1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an emergency breathing apparatus particularly suited for providing a short term air supply to a wearer in a hostile environment such as a smoke-filled or burning building.
2. Brief Statement of the Prior Art
Emergency escape hoods which have been designed for use by industry and municipal fire fighters comprise a transparent hood that is pulled over the wearer's head and a pressured supply of air or oxygen which is released to the hood through a sealing diaphragm which is ruptured by a lever actuated by the wearer. The devices which have been developed to date are relatively bulky, being formed of thick film plastics with an elastic band to seal the hood about the wearer's neck and have required a separate exhalation valve. Additionally, the devices have employed valves with rupture diaphragms rather than reseatable valves and thereby are more costly to recycle for reuse.